2017 Map of Medicine Butte SW

About this map

Elm Creek and its tributaries carve a complex drainage pattern through the high plains of Mercer County, showing a landscape defined by seasonal watercourses and prairie relief. The map reveals the rigid organization of the Public Land Survey System, with township lines for t142n r89w and t141n r89w dictating the placement of the rural road network. These section-line roads, including Co Rd 13 and Co Rd 14, provide the primary infrastructure for this ranching and agricultural region. North-flowing streams like Mud Cr and Gold Cr underscore the subtle northern tilt of the terrain toward larger basins. The lack of concentrated town sites emphasizes the open, rural nature of the county during this decade, where isolated homesteads and livestock operations rely on the intermittent flow of Elm Creek.